Saturday, December 13, 2014

Leo's progress

Things only parents care about: potty training and sleeping.

Two Sundays ago I forgot to put a new diaper on Leo after I took his wet one off. When I realized my mistake, I tried to put a new diaper on him, but he refused. I told him that he had to go on the potty if he wanted not to wear a diaper, and to my complete surprise, he complied. (It's not that we haven't been trying to potty train him, it's just that he couldn't seem to relax enough on the potty to allow himself to go. He would keep his diaper dry for hours, but when I put him on the potty he would push and grunt and act like he was trying to no avail. Then he would overflow his diaper. I tried all kinds of bribes including, but not limited to Cars underwear, treats, and iPad time.) He was excited to put on "big boy underwear." He kept himself dry all that Sunday afternoon and the next day without an accident! Woo hoo! Now he is even going all night staying dry, although he has wanted to wear a diaper for pooping...but Olivia was like that at first, too. He hasn't mastered the big potty yet, so he hasn't gone at school or while we've been out running errands unless I bring a little potty in the car. He is so close!

Here he is in his cute dungerees playing his new favorite game: kitchen in the big kitchen. I fill up the sink with water and he pretends to make me something--usually pizza!

And as if that wasn't enough big news, Leo slept through the night by himself in his own room two nights in a row this week! (And then he got sick, but hopefully he will be back to it soon.) About six weeks ago Nicholas took over Leo's night time routine and waking because I was too exhausted to continue getting up with him. (Here is where I admit that I was often sleeping in his bed or bringing him to our bed or getting up with him 3-5 times per night. I was singing or reading or rocking him back to sleep. He hadn't fallen asleep on his own since we moved to NC. I was letting him have milk during the night just to get him to go back to sleep since I was so tired, which made the problem worse because then he would wake when he wet. And, double gulp, even worse, he was still using a bottle because he literally had no other comfort object other than me, and I needed sleep.) I read several books from the library on children's sleep because I could not go on like that anymore. One of the books said that in children 1-3, if dads are in charge of bed time and night wakings, sleep disorders are almost nonexistent. Well, hallelujah! Nicholas was willing and took a "no talk" back to sleep approach. We took about a week to take away his bottle. Nicholas slept in the room with Leo up until last week, but finally, it has worked where Leo still wakes during the night--I hear him through the wall since his wall is next to my side of the bed--but puts himself back to sleep. He has finally found a comfort object, too, which is his Chick blanket that he was given at birth. So, although he doesn't take naps, he is going to bed between 7 and 7:15 and staying in his room until his clock turns green at 7 AM. This is practically a miracle given where we were six weeks ago! A million thanks to Nicholas for taking this on! I could not be more thrilled with this development!

5 comments
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Oh my goodness, that's huge. Now that you have had success, it will be easier to get it back after illness, travel, etc. And it will be just a relief to know that you will succeed. Triple hurray with chocolate and whipped cream on top!

Boys and potty training, that's sort of how Christopher was. He wasn't going to do it until HE decided it was time.

I'm so, so glad you are having some good advances before Kraft baby 3.0 arrives... it lets you catch your breath for the next wave!